Ingredients
- 9 TB unsalted butter plus more to coat dish
- 6 Slices white bread crusts removed, diced into ¼ inch cubes
- 5 1/2 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper or to taste (3/8 –1/2 tsp)
- 4 1/2 Cup Grated sharp white Cheddar cheese about 18 ounces
- 2 Cup Grated Gruyere cheese about 8 ounces
- 1 lb Elbow macaroni or other small pasta shape
Servings:
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, and pour into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside. Measure 1 1/2 cups of grated Cheddar, and 1/2 cup Gruyere, reserve.
- Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; follow package directions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. In the pot you used for boiling the pasta, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups Cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano. Stir reserved macaroni into the cheese sauce.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle reserved 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. If after 30 minutes, it's not browned to your liking, broil the topping rather than leaving it in the oven, which may cause the pasta to overcook and sauce to dry out. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Serve hot
Recipe Notes
Adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics
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